Six Retailers Sign On At Mary Brickell Village

By Sherri C. Ranta
Six new shops and stores with leases for 19,050 square feet have been added to the tenant list at Mary Brickell Village, a mixed-use project under construction in Brickell.

French furniture store Bois et Chiffons, which had been considering Miracle Mile in Coral Gables for its entry into the US, chose the 192,000-square-foot Brickell project because of the amount of residential construction planned and under way in the area, said Kerry Newman, senior associate at leasing company Koniver Stern Group.

Bois et Chiffons, which has more than 100 stores in France and Europe, leased 6,000 square feet.

Mary Brickell Village, on 5.7 acres along Southwest First Avenue at Brickell Plaza and on South Miami Avenue between Southwest Ninth and Tenth streets, is expected to open in the summer. It is a joint venture that includes developer Constructa US.

Another French company, La Romainville bakery shop, will make its US debut in 1,600 square feet at Mary Brickell Village. The store will be the flagship location for a US expansion.

Other newly signed leases are with Rosa Mexicano restaurant for 8,000 square feet, Coral Gables cooking school Ars Magirica for 1,000 square feet, florist Kabloom for 600 square feet and wine retailer the Grape for 1,850. The Grape will enter South Florida with the Brickell store.

Rosa Mexicano will open its fourth US restaurant, Mr. Newman said. The eatery will be designed by New York architect David Rockwell.

Union Planters Bank is expected to lease about 3,500 square feet, he said. It is to be the only bank in the two-story retail portion of the project.

"People will come here to do their banking," he said, "go to the florist, get milk, buy a shirt, get their hair cut, go to the spa, work out. There’s a lot of reasons to go to the project not just once a week but three or four times a week."

About 28 tenants, including anchors Bally’s Total Fitness at 25,000 square feet and Publix grocery story at 30,000, are signed. The project will also include Skyline Mary Brickell, a 369-unit condominium tower by developer Skyline Realty, FLA. Publix will occupy the base of the building. Residential construction is expected to begin early next year, officials said.

Retail space is available at Mary Brickell Village, Mr. Newman said. He said rental rates have increased more that 50% since construction began last year. Rates start at $55 to $60 per square foot on the first floor, he said.